Last week, the New England Patriots spent one of their two third round picks on former NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Brissett did not have very gaudy numbers in college, but in his last two years, he threw 43 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions while starting all 26 of the Wolfpack’s games. He also ran for 899 yards and 9 touchdowns during those two seasons. Brissett will come into New England as the third string quarterback behind Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo.

For the second time in three years, New England used a top 100 pick on a quarterback which could be surprising given that they have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time still producing at a high level. However, quarterback is one of the most important positions on the field so having reliable backup options is a great plan. The selection of Garoppolo in 2014 could be an example of this plan, but with Brissett also coming in, the question is, what effect will that decision have on the future at the position?

Connor Radnovich/Associated Press

With Garoppolo coming in two years ago, the thought that New England would spend another high selection on a quarterback was a bit farfetched, but, after drafting Brissett, one might wonder if this selection has an effect on Garoppolo’s future with the team. Garoppolo has played very sparingly in his two years in the league with only 31 pass attempts and one passing touchdown, but, in his time on the field, has shown flashes of potential. Garoppolo’s contract only extends until the end of the 2017 season, which happens to be two years less than Brady’s deal. The fact that Garoppolo’s contract will be ending soon means that chances are he will either be traded or just sign with a new team when his contract is up. New England could try to keep him, but, after sitting behind Brady for four years, he will probably want a chance at starting. With Brady’s upcoming suspension for Deflategate, Garoppolo will be in position to get a real opportunity to produce, which could help the team eventually trade the quarterback. With Brissett’s deal extending until 2019, the purpose of the Patriots’ plan was possibly to make sure that they had someone in the system for a few years. Having Brissett sit behind both quarterbacks and learn the playbook could help the team possibly look into trading Garoppolo and eventually have Brissett take over for Brady due to both of their contracts expiring at the same time.

The Brissett selection was curious, but after analyzing the team’s current situation at the position, the decision by the team to select Brissett where they did is reasonable. At this point, projecting what kind of player Brissett can be is difficult, but having four years to learn from one of the greatest to ever play the position will be of great value to the rookie.

In my opinion, the drafting of Brissett has more of an impact on Jimmy Garoppolo. If Tom Brady does need to serve a 4 game suspension, the team will be able to get a look at Garoppolo and see if he can play at a high level and, if so, possibly try to get as much as they can for him on the trade market. The team will probably want to wait at least a year to get Brissett ready to be Brady’s backup. However, when that time comes and if Garoppolo is ready, the team should not hesitate to move on from the backup quarterback and give Brissett a chance to be the successor to Brady in New England.

All stats provided by Pro-Football-Reference and Sports-Reference

Colby Gatz covers the New England Patriots for MFST, and you can follow him on Twitter @bostonfan_15.

https://www.myfantasysportstalk.com/drafting-jacoby-brissett-could-have-a-major-impact-in-new-england/https://i0.wp.com/www.myfantasysportstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/707cce348a7c4f5f9a52825a41362a7e-707cce348a7c4f5f9a52825a41362a7e-0.jpg?fit=960%2C633&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/www.myfantasysportstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/707cce348a7c4f5f9a52825a41362a7e-707cce348a7c4f5f9a52825a41362a7e-0.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=12016-05-07T14:24:39+00:00Colby GatzAFC EastFootballNCAAFNew England PatriotsNFLRecent Posts#Jimmy Garoppolo,#NC State Wolfpack,jacoby brissett,NCAAF,New England Patriots,NFL,Tom BradyLast week, the New England Patriots spent one of their two third round picks on former NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Brissett did not have very gaudy numbers in college, but in his last two years, he threw 43 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions while starting all 26 of...Colby GatzColbyGatzCR.Gatz@yahoo.comEditorColby is a huge fan of the sports industry especially the NFL, NBA, and MLB. He has a strong passion for the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins. Colby is majoring in Digital Arts and Sciences and is aspiring to be a sports web and graphic designer.MyFantasySportsTalk